Emery Law Office - July 2021

Emery Law Office - July 2021

JULY 2021

FROM AMELIA EARHART TO MY VERY OWN ROSIE THE RIVETER

HOW GRITTY WOMEN INSPIRE ME TO PUSH HARDER

You've no doubt seen the famous picture of Rosie wearing her red polka-dot bandanna and flexing her biceps under the slogan, “We can do it!” That image became symbolic of all the women who went to work during World War II. Fast-forward a few decades to the late 1980s, and you arrive at my mom. In an era when many mothers still didn’t work outside the home, she decided to get a job. At first, my mom wanted to be a floor sweeper at McDonnell Douglas aerospace company — rumor had it that those guys made bank! But she looked for months and there were never any openings. There were openings for sheet metal riveters, so she decided to go to night school and train to build fighter jets. I can still remember piling into the car with my family and picking her up after class. I thought it was amazing that my mom could make things out of metal. Who else’s mom could do that? At the time, I had no idea what an amazing pioneer my mom was in her field. She was one of just three women on the shop floor, and she just did not fit in when she started. The guys were a pretty rough crowd. My mom went to church at least twice a week, so she wasn’t a fan of their language and sometimes didn’t even understand their lewd jokes!

told me just how hard things were for her in those early days. She cried on the way to work, cried on the way home, and sometimes cried while there. But then, she decided that if the men could build fighter jets, she could, too. She refused to quit till she had mastered the craft — and by the time she did, she was comfortable enough to spend the next 30 years building planes. After hearing that story, I sucked it up and went back to work with my head high. As Amelia Earhart once said, “The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity." My mom, who swapped her nice clothes for grease-stained T-shirts and put her manicure on hold for three decades, is the one who taught me that. Her example helped me commute to law school and start my own firm while raising four babies. Another one of my favorite quotes is Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Amelia Earhart was one of those women, and my mom was another! On Page 3, I’ll tell you about three more — the real-life women who worked as human computers for NACA and NASA and inspired the movie “Hidden Figures.” Their story may just blow your mind.

Everyone knows that Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Pacific. But here are three things you may not know: 1. Before becoming a pilot, Amelia took pre-med classes at Columbia and summer courses at Harvard. 2. Neta Snook, the first woman to run her own aviation business and commercial airfield, is the one who gave Amelia flying lessons. 3. Amelia’s mom was the first woman to climb Pikes Peak in Colorado, and she helped Amelia buy her first airplane. I came across these facts this month, and they got me thinking about everything Amelia represents. She was a powerful woman who persevered with the help of ambitious ladies who came before her. I probably would have been her biggest fan as a kid if I’d been into reading biographies and autobiographies. But I didn’t live in that timeline. My real role model for tenacity and grit was my mom. She was my own living, breathing Rosie the Riveter.

-Melissa Emery

Years later, when I was going through a rough patch at work myself and complained to her about it, she

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FUN FACTS ABOUT THE FOURTH OF JULY You Can Share With Your Kids

Two future presidents signed the Declaration of Independence: JohnAdams and Thomas Jefferson. They both died exactly 50 years later, on July 4, 1826. This fact is an interesting coincidence sure to fascinate both kids and adults. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to some of the Founding Fathers and share how they helped shape the United States today. In 1776, the year the United States was founded, only 2.5 million people lived here. Today, the U.S. population is 331 million . Lots of people have been born in the United States since it was founded, and millions more came here from other places, hoping to find a better life. Many succeeded, too. Many people want to call this country home! On the Fourth of July, around 155 million hot dogs are eaten in the United States. Okay, so this fact might not have anything to do with American history, but it’s still pretty funny! If anything, the fact that we have so many hot dogs to eat on that day is evidence of the prosperity so many people enjoy in the United States of America.

What do your kids know about the Fourth of July? Do they know it’s a day when you have a barbecue, spend time with friends and neighbors, and watch a fireworks show? These hallmarks of the holiday certainly do make it fun and memorable, but they don’t really exemplify why we celebrate the Fourth of July, the anniversary of when the United States declared its independence from Britain. So, along with the sparklers and hot dogs, here are a few fun facts about Independence Day you can share with your kids to help them understand the significance of the holiday. The Fourth of Julymarks our country’s independence because it’s when the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. This fact might seem like a no-brainer, but it contextualizes the holiday for kids. It’s a great jumping- off point to talk about why the United States wanted to be its own country, what the Continental Congress was, what the Declaration of Independence said, and what it means to “ratify” something.

WHO IS YOUR INSPIRATION? OUR TEAM’S HISTORIC HEROES

M elissa’s heroes from history include her mom, Amelia Earhart, and the women from “Hidden Figures.” The rest of our team has other favorites — here are just a few of them!

during World War II and struggled to survive the Nazi brutality and the famine during that time. She went on to star in many iconic roles in Hollywood films. But she decided to walk away

with the knowledge that you are never alone." Also, "Life is a party. Dress like it.” Joel Franklin Attorney Calvin Coolidge is my favorite. He was known as "Silent Cal." At a dinner party, a lady next to him said, "I've been told you don't talk much. I bet some friends that I could get you to say more than three words." He turned to her and responded, "You lose." Zach Bozel l Legal Assistant Elon Musk once said, "You shouldn't do things differently just because they are different. They need to be ... better." This helps me be more efficient with my growth and discovery. In a world where everyone is trying to be unique, it's important to be grounded on the idea that different is only useful if it betters you. If you’ve ever been inspired by someone from history, we’d love to hear about it! Share their story on our Facebook page ( Facebook.com/ EmeryLawOffice/ ).

Libby Thorngate Operations Manager

from that life, devote herself to her family, and work as a special ambassador to UNICEF, where she dedicated her life to helping impoverished children in poor countries of the world. She visited various African and South Asian countries, where she nursed sick children and raised awareness of the conditions in these nations. She is such a contrast to today's vapid reality stars. A real star is the one who walks away to raise children and devote their energy and time to helping others! And for someone like me who loves fashion, she was a fashion icon. I love two quotes from her: "For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk

This is pretty recent history and she's still alive, but I've always been amazed by Malala Yousafzai's courage and persistence. She once said, "So here I stand, one girl among many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard." Andrea Whittam Legal Assistant I love so many figures in world history and in my own personal history that to select one person is a challenge, but today, I will say Audrey Hepburn. Beyond her unique beauty, grace, and style, she was a beautiful person inside and out. She is a survivor of the German invasion and occupation

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MOVIE REVIEW: ‘HIDDEN FIGURES’

BLT DOGS Is a hot dog a sandwich or not? We’re not here to weigh in on the ever-contentious debate, but when you combine a hot dog with a BLT, it definitely becomes more sandwich-like — and way more delicious. INGREDIENTS

The True Story Behind the Box Office Hit

I saw “Hidden Figures'' on a plane in 2017, and as soon as I got home from my trip, I bought a copy. It’s that good. The story revolves around three Black women — Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughan. They all started out as school teachers but ended up working as mathematicians (aka “human computers”) at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and later NASA. Their brain power helped launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit in 1962. He was the first American to orbit the Earth! The movie starts in 1935, so as you can imagine, Katherine, Mary, and Dorothy had to push hard to be heard at work, not just because they were Black but also because they were women. They had two strikes against them. The movie shows how they persevered even while being talked down to and forced to use separate bathrooms far away from the lab where they worked. Katherine, in particular, faces an uphill battle in “Hidden Figures.” I think her smarts intimidated the guys in the male-dominated world around her. I rooted for her the whole movie, and I felt like cheering when John Glenn insisted that Katherine check the computation for his launch personally! After watching the movie, I was inspired to do some research on the real-life women behind it. What I found out was even more amazing than what I saw on screen. Katherine pursued advanced degrees but stopped to have a family. When she got back into the workforce, her husband died of cancer, leaving her a single mom of three girls. Still, she pushed on! Mary, in addition to her work, tried to help other women advance their careers. Dorothy became the first Black NACA supervisor in 1949 and made sure her employees received promotions or pay raises if merited. I love that these three women, in addition to persevering in a society and career field that didn’t favor them, went on to mentor other women and help them succeed. They’re amazing examples of grit and tenacity, just like Neta Snook, who taught Amelia Earhart to fly, and my mom, who taught me to battle the odds. I’m looking forward to rewatching “Hidden Figures” for years to come!

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4 strips bacon

• 4 hot dogs (ideally Boar’s Head Beef Frankfurters, but any all-beef variety will do) • 4 hot dog buns • 1 tbsp mayonnaise • 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded • 1 large tomato, seeded and diced • Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a skillet to medium and fry bacon until rendered and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. 2. Fry hot dogs in bacon drippings, creating a crust, and cook until warmed through. 3. Using a dry skillet or oven, toast buns. 4. Spread mayonnaise on buns, place hot dog and bacon inside, and top with tomatoes and lettuce. Serve.

Inspired by FoodNetwork.com

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INSIDE

HOW GRITTY WOMEN INSPIRE ME TO PUSH HARDER 1

FOURTH OF JULY FUN FACTS TO SHARE WITH THE KIDS

OUR TEAM’S HISTORIC HEROES 2

MOVIE REVIEW: ‘HIDDEN FIGURES’

BLT DOGS 3

HAVE A CLEANER HOME BY AVOIDING THESE 3 CLEANING MISTAKES 4

3 CLEANING MISTAKES THAT WASTE YOUR TIME

Mistake No. 2: Using the Same Cloth on Multiple Surfaces We are all for being eco-friendly, but not at the expense of our health! When you use the same paper towel or rag to clean your bathroom counter and kitchen counters, you’re transferring the germs around your home. Do you really want your bathroom grime on the counter where you cut fresh produce? Instead, opt for a new paper towel or rag with every surface. Even better, the experts at Reader’s Digest suggest purchasing one or two microfiber rags for each room. These are washable and will keep you organized! Mistake No. 3: Using Dirty Tools We know what you’re thinking, and yes, you do have to clean your mop! Think of it this way: Would you use a toothbrush to clean your bathroom tile, and then use that same toothbrush to clean your teeth, without so much as a rinse or a scrub?

There’s always more than one way to do something, and when it comes to cleaning the house, we all have our own tried-and-true methods. But if you’re making any one of these three cleaning mistakes, you may actually be making your home dirtier! Mistake No. 1: Starting at the Bottom You can thank gravity for this one. When you clean your floors or countertops first, you’re creating a target for grime and dust to land on. Then it’s just more work for you! Instead, start with the windows, ceiling fans, mirrors, and light fixtures. Dust or wipe down these items; then move on to your cabinets, tables and end tables, furniture, and countertops; and finish with floors, toilet bowls, and bathtubs. By using this progression, you allow gravity to work for you. Any dirt that falls onto another surface will eventually be cleaned up when you get to the bottom.

We hope not! That grime doesn’t just disappear! Cleaning your tools is another part of cleaning your home. So, be sure to empty your vacuum cleaner, scrub your dishwasher and washing machine, clean your rags after each use, sanitize your mop, and let your toilet brush dry out! Bonus: Don’t spray cleaning solution directly onto surfaces. This will create build-up. Instead, spray it onto the rag or tool.

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